Reuters: Attacks on Americans stopped after a meeting with Qaani “inside Baghdad airport”

Reuters: Attacks on Americans stopped after a meeting with Qaani “inside Baghdad airport”


security
02-18-2024 | 03:21
Reuters: Attacks on Americans stopped after a meeting with Qaani “inside Baghdad airport.”
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Alsumaria News - Security

The international news agency "Reuters" revealed today, Sunday, a meeting between the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Ismail Qaani, with representatives of the Iraqi factions about 20 days ago, which led to the cessation of attacks on American interests, indicating that the meeting took place at Baghdad airport, and Qaani did not enter the room. Baghdad for fear of being targeted.
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Reuters quoted multiple Iranian and Iraqi sources as saying that the commander of the Iranian Quds Force visited Baghdad last month and convinced groups allied with Tehran to stop attacks on American forces, saying that this was a sign of Tehran’s desire to prevent a broader conflict.

The sources said that Ismail Qaani met with representatives of several armed groups at Baghdad airport on January 29, less than 48 hours after Washington blamed armed groups for the killing of three American soldiers at the Tower 22 site in Jordan.

Reuters sources indicated that Qaani told the factions that the shedding of American blood risked a severe American response, including strikes on their senior leaders, the destruction of key infrastructure or even direct retaliation from Iran.

All but one of the groups immediately agreed to Qaani's request, and the next day Kataib Hezbollah announced the suspension of its attacks, and the highly active Nujaba group said it would continue attacks, saying US forces would only leave by force, according to Reuters.

There have been no attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria since February 4, compared to more than 20 attacks in the two weeks prior to Qaani’s visit, as part of escalating violence by groups opposed to the Israeli war in Gaza.

“Had it not been for Qaani’s direct intervention, it would have been impossible to convince Kataib Hezbollah to stop its military operations to calm tensions,” says a senior commander in an Iraqi armed group allied with Iran.

A senior Iraqi security source said that Qaani did not leave the airport during the quick visit, for fear of being targeted in the same location where his predecessor, Qassem Soleimani, was targeted four years ago. The source says: “The Iranians learned the lesson from Soleimani’s liquidation and did not want to repeat that.”

A senior Iranian security official says: “Commander Qaani’s visit was successful, but not completely, as not all Iraqi groups agreed to stop the escalation,” according to Reuters.

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